


From Here I Can See It Clearly

by Fatebegins



Series: Highs and Lows [2]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, POV Outsider, Unrequited Love, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-26
Updated: 2013-05-26
Packaged: 2017-12-13 00:14:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/817705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fatebegins/pseuds/Fatebegins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>from the kink_meme prompt: Tamara looks at Morgan and Reid and wonders why they are together and what Morgan may see in Reid.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From Here I Can See It Clearly

  
When Tamara invited Derek out for a drink, she'd expected it to be just the two of them, _wanted_ it to be just the two of them. So she’s a little surprised when Derek shows up with another man in tow-the skinny, white agent who is always rambling about something or the other- but she doesn’t really mind. First dates are always nerve-wracking and she finds it cute that Morgan has brought back up, it shows his vulnerability.  
  
Trying to calm the little flutter of nerves she feels when Morgan catches sight of her and waves, Tamara gets to her feet and smoothes down her brand new red dress. She’s not vain but she knows she looks amazing, the appreciative glances she’s been getting all night have bolstered her confidence.  
  
“Long time, no see.” Tamara says against Derek’s neck when he hugs her in greeting.

She loves how it feels to be in his arms, safe and protected. It’s the same stirring of warmth she’d felt on the anniversary of her brother’s death, when Derek had accompanied her to his grave. Hopefully, if tonight goes the way she‘s planned, she’ll be enjoying that feeling for a _long_ time.  
  
“Yeah, it’s been a while,” Derek smiles and she gets lost in his dimples for a moment before she can recover.  He turns to his guest, “And I’m sure you remember, Spencer.”  
  
“Of course.” Tamara shakes his hand pefunctorily. “Dr. Reid, It’s nice to see you again.”  
  
“Nice to see you, too.” Reid gives her a hesitant smile and Tamara smiles back before leading them over to the booth she had reserved.

The place is already getting crowded; the after work crowd filling the upscale bar. They must’ve come directly from work too- or at least Dr. Reid did. He’s wearing grey slacks and a blue dress shirt with a particularly ugly brown sweater over it. It‘s something a stereotypical tenured professor would wear. At that thought, Tamara has to stifle a laugh. The guy hasn’t changed a bit since the last time she saw him. Reid’s hair is different though, cut shorter than before so he doesn’t look so androgynous. It’s a nice look on him, the shorter strands curling boyishly around his face. He doesn’t look quite as awkward as he did before but he’s still out of place, still looks like a child playing dress up.  
  
Derek, however, fits right into her world just like she always knew he would. He’s the most gorgeous guy in the room with his black slacks and a black shirt, top two buttons unbuttoned to show a tantalizing view of his tan skin. Tamara’s pulse picks up when Derek turns around and gives an order to a passing server, the material of his pants pulling tight around his spectacular ass.  
  
Reid interrupts her sight seeing. “Nice choice.”  
  
Tamara tears her gaze away from Morgan to find Reid watching her curiously. “Huh?”  
  
She doesn’t think she imagines the burst of annoyance that flits over his pale face when he realizes she was looking at Morgan’s ass. Poor guy probably has a complex, he can’t get that much attention from females when he’s standing next to Morgan.  
  
“The bar.” Reid elaborates. “I don’t usually come to places like this, the atmosphere is rife for potential problems, alcohol and work frustrations don’t bode well for civil interaction. But this bar is nice.”  
  
“I’ve been here a couple of time before.” Relaxing against the red leather seats, Tamara forces a friendly, conversational tone. “So, how have you been?”  
  
“Good.” Reid replies, taking the beer Derek gives him with a dubious look. And really only Derek Morgan would get such fast service in a bar like this. “Really well, actually. We just wrapped up a long case, so Derek thought it’d be good to come out. I told him I didn’t want to intrude-”  
  
“You’re not intruding.” Morgan breaks in as he tips the server. She bats her eyes at him and her sultry grin says she’d be willing to do a whole lot more than get him drinks.

Tamara bristles right along with Reid.  
  
“Looks like you’ve acquired _another_ fan.” Reid’s voice sounds funny and Tamara can only wonder if he likes the waitress, why else would he get upset?  
  
“You’re too uptight.” Morgan teases, licking his lips after taking a long swallow of beer. “C’mon, drink, loosen up.”  
  
“I‘m not particularly partial to the taste of fermented sugars derived from malted cereal grains.” Reid grimaces after a tiny sip of his beer. “What’s the point of becoming inebriated?”  
  
“The point, pretty boy, is to get laid.”  
  
“I don’t need to get drunk to have sexual intercourse.”  
  
“Sexual intercourse, ” Sitting down-and why the hell would he sit next to Reid and not her?-Morgan hooks an arm around Reid’s neck, prompting the younger man to shove him as him as he presses a kiss to his forehead. “Doctor, you’re turning me on with that sweet dirty talk.”  
  
There’s an easy familiarity between the two and Tamara’s starting to feel unsettled. This night is for _them_ , the sooner she hands Reid off to some unsuspecting drunk girl, the sooner she and Morgan can be alone.  
  
“So you came out to unwind a bit, Dr. Reid? Maybe find a girl?” Tamara suggests helpfully. She looks around until she finds the girl she‘d noticed checking Reid out earlier. “Cause that blonde by the bar has been eying you since you came in. You should go for it.”  
  
The suggestion falls flat and a dark blush stains the younger man’s cheeks. “Uh, No, thank you.”  
  
“Why not?" _Take the damn hint and go away, Tamara thinks_. “She’s pretty.”  
  
“ _His boyfriend_ is prettier.” Morgan announces flatly, turning around to glare over his shoulder at the girl. “And he’s a jealous bastard.”  
  
“So you’re into guys? That’s...nice.” Tamara blinks and even as her mind connects the dots, sees how low Morgan’s hand is on Reid’s waist, asks. “Who is he?”

"She just _winked_ at you! Is she completely blind or--"  
  
“Stop being ridiculous, Morgan.” Reid leans up and kisses him on the cheek before he looks back at Tamara. “Meet my jealous and equally pretty boyfriend.”  
  
“You two are...” Tamara really needs a drink, or maybe she’s had too many if she really just heard Reid say he and Morgan are together.  
  
“Nearly six months.” Morgan nods, grinning like its the best news ever. “Finally reeled my boy in.”  
  
“I’m so.” Tamara can’t force herself to get the generic line out, she’s not happy for them. “Just wow, you never mentioned.” She forces a smile, “Next round of drinks is on me.”  
  
“Make mine a jack and coke, and Reid will want a club soda.” Morgan kisses the other man lightly, affection clear in the gesture. “See if you can get them to put cherries in it.”  
  
Reid doesn’t look amused but Tamara notices he doesn’t move away. “Very clever.”  
  
The two are constantly touching, have been connected since they came in. It confuses Tamara, makes her feel ill. Derek was supposed to want _her_ not a nerdy child.

What could he possible see in such an awkward guy?

There didn’t seem to be anything particularly special about Reid besides his weird mind. And who wants that? Morgan needs someone like himself, athletic and outgoing, someone who could understand him. She could be that person, Tamara knows she could.  
  
“Sure thing.” Tamara tells them trying to keep her tone light. She shouldn’t have bothered, the pair are too wrapped up in each other to notice anything else. "I'll get the next round."  
  
“What can I get you, sweetheart?” The bartender is looking down her shirt, which isn’t really that much of a feat considering she wore the low cut red dress specifically for Morgan’s benefit. What a waste.  
  
“Club soda, jack and coke, and a scotch.”  
  
The guy leers at her hopefully but when he’s rebuffed by a cold stare, turns away.“Coming right up.”

Tamara looks back to where she left the BAU agents only to find them kissing.

It's not the kind of kiss Tamara expects, there’s nothing chaste or hesitant about it; they look so familiar and comfortable. She can see the hungry slide of their lips, watches Morgan chase Reid’s lips and tongue. The intensity startles her and when Morgan pulls back and Reid licks his lips blushing, the older agent mutters something before he recaptures Reid’s laughing mouth.  
  
Tamara’s stomach turns. “Make that last scotch a double.”  
  
***  
  
For the last half hour, Tamara’s been miserable.  
  
She’s stumped, she can’t for the life of her figure out what Morgan sees in Reid.  
  
The man goes on and on about topics no one can possibly care about, spouting off on the possible signs of life in a newly discovered planet and how it's biologically impossible for a planet with that high concentration of sulfur to replicate an ecosystem like Earth- or something like that. Tamara hasn’t really been listening.  
  
And that’s her other point, Dr. Reid is _boring_. The only reason Tamara would willingly associate with him is if she was competing on jeopardy. He’s socially awkward, never knows when to stop talking but when Tamara looks at Derek he actually seems to be paying attention, indulgent smile playing at his lips.  
  
“Which reminds me,” Derek says. “I taped the national geographic special on the recent reports.”  
  
“Can’t wait to see that.” Reid sighs happily, snuggling back into the curve of Morgan’s arm. “I’ve read all the articles but it’d be nice to see another person’s compilation.”  
  
“You actually like that kind of stuff?” Tamara blurts out before she can think better of it.  
  
“Yeah, sure.” Morgan shrugs. “It’s interesting once you get going.”  
  
“Right.” Tamara highly doubts that. "I'll take your word for it."  
  
Her tone must be sharper than she intends because the pair exchange an uneasy look. The talk dies after that, but the drinks keep coming. When a song comes on, some power pop mess of drums that Tamara doesn’t recognize. Reid gets incredibly excited and  pulls Derek to his feet and out unto the dance floor. Derek allows himself to be dragged off and gives a muffed apology as he passes.  
  
Tamara follows them with her eyes, she never pictured Reid as being much of a dancer.  
  
She’s right.  
  
Reid reminds Tamara of a whacky, flailing inflatable blow up. The ones that litter highway 34 and advertise the ‘best damn deal on an automobile this side of Virginia.’ There isn’t any fluidity to his movements, his arms moving to a rhythm that must only be playing in his head yet he still commands the undivided attention of Derek. People around them are looking, some with sly laughter but mostly they’re all too tanked to notice.  
  
Even from here, forgotten in her booth, Tamara can see the low heat in Derek’s eyes, the glimmer of lust behind his easy smile as his hand settles on the other agent’s skinny hips just as the music slows down.  
  
The change startles her.

Once Derek touches him, Reid’s movements become almost sensual and he shifts closer, pressing forward until their bodies are completely plastered together from chest to knee. Tamara isn’t sure if he’s pulled there physically or led there by the sexual magnetism Derek’s radiating.

As she watches, Reid leans forward, hands twining around Derek’s neck, legs parting when Morgan’s starts a slow undulation of his hips. The bass is heavy, the dance floor crowded with lovers and she can’t take her eyes off of them. One of Morgan’s hands slide low to the small of the younger agents back, fingers splayed possessively over the slight swell of his non existent ass.  
  
She can see their lips moving, has no idea what they’re saying but she can see Morgan laughing, Reid’s lips playing over his jaw. Reid is clearly tipsy and Tamara regrets making his last two club sodas, a vodka and soda but she’d hoped that the newbie would get sick and leave them alone. She’d been so wrong.  
  
All the alcohol has done is make Reid more affectionate. Even worse the flush from the liquor makes him look debauched, cheeks a soft pink and eyes heavy lidded.  
  
Dejected, Tamara turns back to her drink. Every advance had been ignored, she’d brushed up against Derek three times, let her foot slide against his calf, bit her lips coyly when he spoke to her- all of which had just earned her strange looks.  
  
When Tamara looks back at the dance floor she catches the pair heading towards the back entrance, Tamara hesitates for only a second before she follows after them.  
  
***  
The air outside is crisp, whisking away the last of her pleasant buzz. She can hear voices from the back alley, and Tamara knows its wrong but she just needs to see. Making sure to keep quiet, Tamara sneaks towards them until the voices become clear.  
  
“I should just go.” It’s Reid speaking.  
  
“Then we'll go home.”  
  
“I don’t think Tamara would appreciate it that much. She's displaying a lot of common body language signs of attraction, she leans towards you, her pupils dilate she plays with her hair-"  
  
The words are cut off with a muffled gasp and Tamara grits her teeth as she hears the unmistakable sounds of kissing.  
  
"Doesn't matter, because at the end of the night I'm kissing you; I'm with you."  
  
“She likes you.” The words are spoken so quietly Tamara nearly misses them. She’s never heard the Doctor sound anything but clinical before. He recites facts and statistics happily but she’s never heard anything beneath the surface. For all the information Reid offers, he’s a very guarded person.  
  
Except for now. Now, he’s laid bare.  
  
“That’s not true.” Morgan responds and Tamara has to sigh at his obliviousness  
  
“She does, that’s the whole reason why she invited you out tonight.”  
  
“No way-”  
  
“Morgan, she’s dressed like a supermodel…looks like one too.”  
  
At least _someone_ appreciates her assets, Tamara smiles and chances a peek around the corner. Dr. Reid is against the brick wall, Derek directly in front of him. From her vantage point, Tamara can see them clearly but she knows she’s invisible to them.  
  
“Hey,” Morgan’s voice is soft and caring, hand touching Reid‘s cheek tenderly. “Don’t get like that.”  
  
“Like what?” Reid’s head is bent, he’s staring down between them.  
  
“Lost in your head and thinking crazy thoughts. Tamara is a nice girl, she’s pretty and all, but she’s my friend and will never be anything more, know why?”  
  
Reid tips his head back, looks Morgan in the eyes.“Why?”

“Because I’m in love with you, genius.”  
  
The smile that splits Reid’s face makes even Tamara’s heart skip a beat. It’s bright and open, warm and so full of love it melts the last shards of rejection into acceptance.  
  
Tamara doesn’t know Derek very well but she knows enough to understand that he wouldn’t be with just anyone. She may not understand what they have but it's not her place to.  
  
It’s clear that they both love each other and even though Tamara can’t hear Reid’s response, she’s sure he’s said the words back. The way they’re kissing passionately clearly shows he must have. Tamara watches for a moment longer, lets herself imagine that she’s the one Derek’s pressing against the wall, that he’s gripping her thighs and urging her leg around his waist.  
  
But it’s Reid he’s touching, Reid whose neck is tipped back as Derek sucks at his pulse point, unbuttons his shirt with fumbling hands. Morgan’s hands disappears between them and Reid goes rigid, feet skidding against the pavement.  
  
When one of them lets out a slight moan, Tamara’s paralysis is broken, she should go.  
  
***  
  
Tamara’s on her way to work the next morning when she gets a call. It’s Morgan and his voice makes her heart ache just a little bit before she brushes the old feelings away.  
  
“Sorry we took off so suddenly last night, Tamara. Something came up.”  
  
“It’s okay.” Tamara smiles sadly. “I get it.”


End file.
